Means for automatically balancing the rotors of pumps, turbines, blowers, and the like.



F. LORENZ.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY BALANCING THE ROTORS 0F PUMPS, TURBINES, BLOWERS,

AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FIL'ED AUG.22, 1914. P t t d De 26 1916 3 1 J am /7 Z 29 UNITED sTAs PATENT ormcn.

FRIEDRICH LORENZ, OF WILDA'U, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS P. KINGSFORD AND VIRGINIA K. HIGGINS, BOTH OF OSWEGQ, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY BALANCING THE ROTORS F PUMPS, TURBINES,

BLOWERS, AND THE LIKE.

' subject of the Emperor of Germany, resid the turbine or multi stage, and of the cening at Wildau, near Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improve-' ments in Means for Automatically Balancing the Rotors of Pumps, Turbines, Blowers, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in means for automatically balancing the rotors of pumps, turbines, blowers, and

the like; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in thelight of the following explanation of' the accompanying drawings illustrating what I nowbelieve to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical'expression of my invention from among other formations, arrangements, and con structions within the spirit and" scope thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide improved -means for automatically balancing the end thrust of the rotors of pumps of trifugal and like types, and of turbines, blowers andth'e like, by a simple and readily accessible arrangement of elements and features.

A further .object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in the constructionand arrangements of parts for the production of a highly efficient and advan-' tageous automatic balancing system for the rotors of pumps, blowers, turbines and the like.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the discharge end portion of a multistage or turbine pump embodying a balancing system in accordance with my 1nvention.

In the drawings, I show portions of the rotor shaft 1 and of the rotor 2, fixed thereto to rotate therewith, and also a portion, of the rotor casing 3, embodying a cylinder 4, and an end head 5.

Abalancing piston or head 6, issecured to Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed August 22, 1914. Serial No. 858,081.

the rotor shaft to rotate and move longitudinally therewith, and this piston occupies said cylinder 4, and rotates and moves longitudinally therein with said shaft? The p ston is of such diameter with respect to the cylinder that its cylindrical outer surface forms an approximately running fit with theinterior surface'of the cylinder to provide a sealing fissure a, at its inlet end freely and constantly open .to the chamber 6, formed by and between the pressure side of the rotor section or stage shown, and the adjacent walls of the piston and easing. This chamber 6, is open to the easing discharge passage from the rotor and consequently contains liquid approximately under pump discharge pressure. Liquid from said pressure chamber 6, is-constantly dlscharging or leaking therefrom through said sealin liquid-flow retarding or pressure reducing ssure a, whichfissureis of approximately constant capacity. The liquid under pressure passes through sealing fissure a, into an annular pressure chamber 0,

the'outer rear or discharge end of the sealing fissure so that the sealing fissure discharges thereinto, and the discharge passage or outlet from this pressure chamber is formed by a throttle fissure d'. 1

The throttle fissure d, discharges into a pressure chamber e, arranged at the exterior of the rear or outer end of the piston, and the liquid outlet or discharge from pressure chamber 6, is formed by a throttle fissure f. The throttle fissure f, discharges into a chamber g, from which the liquid can be drawn or discharged in any suitable manner. Usua ly this chamber g, is connected by piping or otherwise with the pump suction sothat the'liquid will be drawn from said chamber and returned to the interior of the pump, but my invention is not so adjacent flat faces of the outer end edge of the wall of the cylinder 4, and the inner end or side of the exterior enlarged outer end head 7 of the piston at the exterior of the outer or rear end of the cylinder. This head 7, is formed by an exterior enlarged flat annular flange surrounding the end of the piston projecting beyond the rear end of the cylinder. This flange 7, forms an outer end wall of the pressure chamber 0, and hence the throttle fissure d, surrounds and is of greater diameter than said chamber, and the liquid discharges outwardly radially from chamber 0, into and through said throttle fissure. The casing is formed to provide the annular chamber 6, of greater diameter than and surrounding the flange or head 7 and the throttle fissure (1, so that the liquid discharges radially through said fissure and outwardly into said chamber 6.

- The chambers e, and g are separated by a wall or partition formed by a fiat ring or annulus 8, seated in a recess in the outer side of the end or discharge section of the casing 3, and removably clamped in said recess and held in place by the casing end head 5, removably secured to said casing by any suitable means such as bolts 9, or the like. The outer side face of the casing end or discharge section is recessed to provide an annular seat 10, for the outer edge portion of ring 8, while the inner side face of head 5, is recessed to providefor the annular chamber 9, surrounded by an annular flange or neck 11, to fit within the otherwise open outer side of said discharge end section of the casing and to abut against the edge portion of the vertical outer side face of ring 8, and thereby clamp said ring to its seat and in proper position, with the vertical ring forming the outer side wall of chamber e, and the inner side wall of chamber g. The ring is formed with an open center of enlarged diameter with respect to the rotor axis 1,

' so as to form a liquid passage h, exteriorly and longitudinally of said axis and centrally within and directly open to the throttle fissure f, and the chamber 9, and through which the liquid passes from said fissure to said chamber.

The ring 8, is arranged beyond the outer end face of the piston and opposes the same and the central portion of the pressure chamber e, is arranged between the outer vertical side face of the piston (including its enlarged flange 7) and the inner vertical side face of the ring, and the throttle fissure f, is formed by fiat adjacent parallel annular raised vertical faces at the central portions of the ring and piston and at the center of the chamber 6, so that the discharge from chamber 6 is radially of and toward the axis 1, through fissure f.

When the pump parts are in normal balanced condition, the fissure forming vertical faces of the piston and ring 8, are spaced such a distance apart that the liquid flows approximately freely from chamber 6, through'throttle fissure f, and said fissure has no throttling effect on the chamber 6, and this same condition is true when the rotor and piston move beyond balance toward the left. However, should the rotor and piston move beyond balance toward the right, the throttle fissure f, will come into action and increase the pressure in chamber 6, and against the outer verticalend face of the piston to resist such movement toward the right and to tend to throw the rotor and piston toward the left and back to balance.

Movement of the rotor and piston beyond balance toward the left is resisted by pres sure against the left hand vertical face of the piston head or flange 7, generated in the chamber 0, by closing or partial closing of the throttle fissure d, while a reduced or minus pressure exists at the outer or right hand vertical side face of the piston in chamber e, as the throttle fissure f, is then open to approximately free flow of liquid from When the rotor and piston are chamber e. in normal balanced position, the width and capacity of the throttle fissure f, are greater than the width and capacity of the throttle fissure d, so that liquid will not be trapped or throttled in chamber e. If through wear of the piston and cylinder surfaces, the capacity of the sealing fissure a, and the consequent leakage therethrough should be so increased as to destroy the normal balance. of the rotor and piston by decreasing the pres sure in chamber 6, and permanently increasing the pressure in chamber 0, the rotor and piston will then tend to unduly drift or shift toward the right. However, it is particularly under such conditions that the throttle fissure f, comes into action to increase the pressure in chamber e, and resist the drift toward the right and automatically restore the balanced position or condition of the rotor notwithstanding the increased leakage through the sealing fissure. Perfect automatic balancing is thus provided for, even though wear of the adjacent cylindrical surfaces of cylinder 4, and piston 6, should permanently disturb the normal predetermined leakage through the sealing fissure.

Certain material structural advantages are attained by arranging the throttle fissures at the outer end portion of the balancing system so as to be readily accessible. After the end head 5, and its packing gland have been removed, the ring 8, can be removed, and if so desired, the piston can then be removed. These parts can also be easily assembled and adjusted by reason of the arrangement'described. The parts of the balancing system are thus rendered readily accessible for inspection, cleaning, repair, renewal, adjust- 1. Means for automatlcally balancing the end thrust of rotors, comprising a balancing piston on the rotor axis, and means providing a passage for liquid under pressure embodying an annular pressure chamber surrounding said piston to resist axial movement of the rotor in one direction, a constant I capacity sealing fissure discharging into said chamber, an outwardly radially discharging transverse throttle fissure surrounding and forming the discharge from said chamber, an annular pressure chamber at the outer end face of said piston to resist undue axial movement thereof in the opposite direction from that hereinbefore mentioned and into which said throttle fissure discharges, and an inwardly radially discharging transverse throttle fissure surrounded by and forming the discharge from said last mentioned chamber.

2. Means for automatically balancing the end thrust of rotors comprising a balancing member on the rotor. axis surrounded by an annular pressure chamber and by a sealing fissure through which liquid constantly leaks into said chamber, means providing a transverse throttle fissure outlet from said chamber controlled as to capacity by the axial movement of said axis, and means providing a pressure chamber at the outer end face of said member and into which said throttle fissure discharges and a transverse throttle fissure outlet from said last mentioned chamber controlled by the axial movement of said axis, the liquid in said chambers acting in opposite directions on said balancing member.

3. Means for automatically balancing the end thrust of rotors comprising a balancing member on the shaft, and means providing pressure chambers at opposite faces thereof,

a transverse throttle fissure outlet from one of said chambers to the other, a liquid-flow retarding or pressure reducing liquid passage to said first mentioned chamber, and a transverse throttle fissure outlet from said last mentioned chamber, said throttle fissures being controlled by longitudinal movement of said member.

4. Means for automatically balancing the end thrust of rotors comprising a balancing piston on the rotor axis having an enlarged outer end, and means providing liquid pressure chambers at opposite faces of said enlarged end, a sealing fissure discharging into one of said chambers, a transverse throttle fissure outlet from said one chamber and discharging directly into the other chamber,

and a transverse throttle fissure outlet from the last mentioned chamber, said last men tioned throttle fissure being normally open. 5. In combination, a casing having a removable end head, an open-center vertical ring removably held in the casing by said head, a rotor, a balancing piston on the rotor axis and having an outer end enlargement adjacent to said ring and in connection therewith forming a pressure chamber at the outer end of the piston and a transverse throttle fissure outlet therefrom, the casing and piston forming a sealing fissure, and the casing and inner side face of said piston enlargement forming a transverse throttle fissure opening into said pressure chamber and controlling the leakage from the sealing fissure into said chamber.

In testimony whereof -I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRIEDRICH LORENZ.

"Witnesses WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

